OSHA makes it a point to address fire prevention and protection first in its guidelines, as it is crucial to safe welding. Any materials near the welding area that can cause a fire hazard must be re-located to a safe place and/or safeguards must be used to confine the heat, sparks and slag and to protect any immovable fire hazards. Suitable fire extinguishing equipment must be readily available based on the scope and nature of the work being performed. Floors that may contain flammable materials, such as paper, fibers or wood shavings, must be swept clean to a radius of at least 35 feet from the welding area. And under no circumstances is welding to be performed near exposed, readily ignitable materials. Instructors must ensure the welding environment is clean and free of any combustible materials.
Instructors also must ensure that students engage in proper conduct around a welding site and wear the appropriate protective gear. It is mandatory that helmets or hand shields be worn during any arc cutting or arc welding operations, with the exception of submerged arc welding. Assistants or attendants must also wear proper eye protection. Helmets should be made of a material that insulates from heat and electricity while also having filter plates that can be easily removed. During oxygen cutting or gas welding operations, goggles may be worn. Instructors also must ensure that students wear proper protective clothing based on the nature of the welding work being performed. Welders are required to place welding cable and similar equipment away from passageways, ladders and stairwells. When welding is complete, the welder is required to mark the hot metal in some way to warn others.
Any room where welding is done must have proper ventilation. When assessing this, instructors should take into account three factors: the dimensions of the space in which the welding is performed; the number of welders in that space; and the possible evolution of hazardous fumes and gases based on the metals being used. Mechanical ventilation systems should be calibrated to remove any gases or fumes resulting from the welding. As a rule, oxygen should never be used for ventilation, as it is highly combustible. Fusible granular materials, filler materials containing cadmium and welding fluxes containing fluorine compounds must have warning labels and only be used in areas rigged with special ventilation, such as fume collectors, exhaust ventilators or air-supplied respirators. A first aid kit should be located nearby.